******* The Goodness of GOD *******

[Newby]

I don't know why you even bothered to start this thread Light, but it was nice of you to give it a try. God is good, I feel sorry for those who felt the need to bash and belittle in here. You aptly display what the absence of God results in.

Your fellowship is appreciated Light. God Bless.

Bashing and belittling....and the absence of Gods.

That is something to think about.

I've seen a lot of religious bashing and belittling here by those who think they have a patent on all that is good and right and Godly.


It has made my very cynical.

No one has a patent on that, that is exactly the opposite of what Jesus taught.

 

[Newby]

The mirror on my wall
Casts an image dark and small
But I'm not sure at all it's my reflection.
I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right
And I wander in the night without direction.

You're welcome to your opinion, sad that it is.

 

[Coyote]

I don't know why you even bothered to start this thread Light, but it was nice of you to give it a try. God is good, I feel sorry for those who felt the need to bash and belittle in here. You aptly display what the absence of God results in.

Your fellowship is appreciated Light. God Bless.

Bashing and belittling....and the absence of Gods.

That is something to think about.

I've seen a lot of religious bashing and belittling here by those who think they have a patent on all that is good and right and Godly.


It has made my very cynical.

No one has a patent on that, that is exactly the opposite of what Jesus taught.

Agree.

But I am finding little evidence that that is the version of Jesus followed by many.

 

[Coyote]

The mirror on my wall
Casts an image dark and small
But I'm not sure at all it's my reflection.
I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right
And I wander in the night without direction.

You're welcome to your opinion, sad that it is.

Why is it sad? Most of us are searching.

 

[Newby]

Bashing and belittling....and the absence of Gods.

That is something to think about.

I've seen a lot of religious bashing and belittling here by those who think they have a patent on all that is good and right and Godly.


It has made my very cynical.

No one has a patent on that, that is exactly the opposite of what Jesus taught.

Agree.

But I am finding little evidence that that is the version of Jesus followed by many.

In what way exactly?

 

[Newby]

The mirror on my wall
Casts an image dark and small
But I'm not sure at all it's my reflection.
I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right
And I wander in the night without direction.

You're welcome to your opinion, sad that it is.

Why is it sad? Most of us are searching.

It's sad that you think people are blinded by their belief or faith in God.

 

[Coyote]

No one has a patent on that, that is exactly the opposite of what Jesus taught.

Agree.

But I am finding little evidence that that is the version of Jesus followed by many.

In what way exactly?

I'm looking at the anti-Islam commentary against the religion as a whole, endorsing narrow-minded views with out ever once considering that Islam has depths and nuances, much like Christianity. It's a viewpoint that paints all Muslims as extremists while hypocritically holding to a different standard for Christianity.

 

[Coyote]

You're welcome to your opinion, sad that it is.

Why is it sad? Most of us are searching.

It's sad that you think people are blinded by their belief or faith in God.

You are interpreting the lyrics I posted a bit differently than I do.

The mirror on my wall
Casts an image dark and small
But I'm not sure at all it's my reflection.
I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right
And I wander in the night without direction.

I see it as reflecting the confusion and uncertainty many of us go through at points in our lives - times when we are so so sure we are right and times when we feel in the dark without direction. Who are we and where are we going and what is real?

It's not meant as a negative comment.

 

[Newby]

Agree.

But I am finding little evidence that that is the version of Jesus followed by many.

In what way exactly?

I'm looking at the anti-Islam commentary against the religion as a whole, endorsing narrow-minded views with out ever once considering that Islam has depths and nuances, much like Christianity. It's a viewpoint that paints all Muslims as extremists while hypocritically holding to a different standard for Christianity.

Yes, but you said 'followed by many', and a handful of people posting in a thread on a message board seems a little bit of a narrow scope for making a comment like that about the 'many' who are christians.

And I think the point of the thread is that Christians are told all the time that they should be tolerant, caring, and accepting of other's feelings and lifestyles, yet that same expectation is apparently not visited equally to other religious groups. In this case, it's specifically muslims that are not expected to be caring, tolerant, or accepting of other's feelings towards what their fellow mulsims did to 3,000 innocent people. Why do you think the expectations are different? And be honest, if it was a bunch of christian whackos that killed all of those people and the same group wanted to build a church within spitting distance of the site of where it happened, who's side do you think those defending the mosque would be on then? I would bet a million bucks without the blink of an eye that they'd be protesting the church and the insensitivity of the christians wanting to place it there.

 

[uscitizen]

And if you do not worship god you will be cast into the lake of fire to suffer eternally?
Not if you are a mean or evil person, but just because you do not worship god.

I always had a problem with that one in convincing me that god loved all and was good.

 

[Newby]

Why is it sad? Most of us are searching.

It's sad that you think people are blinded by their belief or faith in God.

You are interpreting the lyrics I posted a bit differently than I do.

The mirror on my wall
Casts an image dark and small
But I'm not sure at all it's my reflection.
I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right
And I wander in the night without direction.

I see it as reflecting the confusion and uncertainty many of us go through at points in our lives - times when we are so so sure we are right and times when we feel in the dark without direction. Who are we and where are we going and what is real?

It's not meant as a negative comment.

I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right

That doesn't speak of confusion or uncertainty to me, only that you're confused and uncertain when you're putting your faith in God. So, yes, we interpret it very differently.

 

[ABikerSailor]

In what way exactly?

I'm looking at the anti-Islam commentary against the religion as a whole, endorsing narrow-minded views with out ever once considering that Islam has depths and nuances, much like Christianity. It's a viewpoint that paints all Muslims as extremists while hypocritically holding to a different standard for Christianity.

Yes, but you said 'followed by many', and a handful of people posting in a thread on a message board seems a little bit of a narrow scope for making a comment like that about the 'many' who are christians.

And I think the point of the thread is that Christians are told all the time that they should be tolerant, caring, and accepting of other's feelings and lifestyles, yet that same expectation is apparently not visited equally to other religious groups. In this case, it's specifically muslims that are not expected to be caring, tolerant, or accepting of other's feelings towards what their fellow mulsims did to 3,000 innocent people. Why do you think the expectations are different? And be honest, if it was a bunch of christian whackos that killed all of those people and the same group wanted to build a church within spitting distance of the site of where it happened, who's side do you think those defending the mosque would be on then? I would bet a million bucks without the blink of an eye that they'd be protesting the church and the insensitivity of the christians wanting to place it there.

You know......Christians regularly denounce some of the fringe idiots of their faith.

Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church is a good example.

I want to know why the Muslims in American haven't denounced their fringe whackos?

 

[Newby]

And if you do not worship god you will be cast into the lake of fire to suffer eternally?
Not if you are a mean or evil person, but just because you do not worship god.

I always had a problem with that one in convincing me that god loved all and was good.

Isn't that your choice tho, not His?

And even if you look at it that way, what good does it do to belittle people who take the Bible at it's word? Isn't that their chioce?

 

[Coyote]

It's sad that you think people are blinded by their belief or faith in God.

You are interpreting the lyrics I posted a bit differently than I do.

The mirror on my wall
Casts an image dark and small
But I'm not sure at all it's my reflection.
I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right
And I wander in the night without direction.

I see it as reflecting the confusion and uncertainty many of us go through at points in our lives - times when we are so so sure we are right and times when we feel in the dark without direction. Who are we and where are we going and what is real?

It's not meant as a negative comment.

I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right

That doesn't speak of confusion or uncertainty to me, only that you're confused and uncertain when you're putting your faith in God. So, yes, we interpret it very differently.

You can't take it by itself - away from the rest of the paragraph. There are times when we are so passionately right, so full of "truth" - so certain we can't be wrong (not necessarily just with religion) - and there are times when the fiery passion of righteousness dies down, we step back and we aren't so sure. We reflect.

I've always felt faith is not level path - it's full of up hills and down hills, and sometimes on the journey the sun is in our eyes blinding us to the path before us. It's message is so bright and compelling, we are unable to see anything else for a moment.

Different ways of viewing things

 

[uscitizen]

I'm looking at the anti-Islam commentary against the religion as a whole, endorsing narrow-minded views with out ever once considering that Islam has depths and nuances, much like Christianity. It's a viewpoint that paints all Muslims as extremists while hypocritically holding to a different standard for Christianity.

Yes, but you said 'followed by many', and a handful of people posting in a thread on a message board seems a little bit of a narrow scope for making a comment like that about the 'many' who are christians.

And I think the point of the thread is that Christians are told all the time that they should be tolerant, caring, and accepting of other's feelings and lifestyles, yet that same expectation is apparently not visited equally to other religious groups. In this case, it's specifically muslims that are not expected to be caring, tolerant, or accepting of other's feelings towards what their fellow mulsims did to 3,000 innocent people. Why do you think the expectations are different? And be honest, if it was a bunch of christian whackos that killed all of those people and the same group wanted to build a church within spitting distance of the site of where it happened, who's side do you think those defending the mosque would be on then? I would bet a million bucks without the blink of an eye that they'd be protesting the church and the insensitivity of the christians wanting to place it there.

You know......Christians regularly denounce some of the fringe idiots of their faith.

Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church is a good example.

I want to know why the Muslims in American haven't denounced their fringe whackos?

I guess it just does not sell in the american media.

Muslim Condemnations of 9/11
Muslim leaders speak out against violence and terrorism
By Huda, About.com Guide
.


In the aftermath of the violence and horror of 9/11, criticisms were made that Muslim leaders and organizations were not outspoken enough in denouncing acts of terrorism. Muslims are constantly perplexed by this accusation, as we heard (and continue to hear) nothing but unequivocal and unified condemnations by the leaders of our community, both in the United States and worldwide. But for some reason, people are not listening.

For the record, the inhuman attacks of September 11 were condemned in the strongest terms by virtually all Islamic leaders, organizations, and countries. Thethe Chairman of Saudi Arabia's Supreme Judicial Council summarized that, "Islam rejects such acts, since it forbids killing of civilians even during times of war, especially if they are not part of the fighting. A religion that views people of the world in such a way cannot in any sense condone such criminal acts, which require that their perpetrators and those who support them are held accountable. As a human community we have to be vigilant and careful to preempt these evils."

For more statements by Islamic leaders, see the following compilations:


•Scholars of Islam and the Tragedy of September 11th - statements compiled by over 50 professors of Islamic Studies and Middle Eastern Studies from the U.S. and Canada, members of the American Academy of Religion in Atlanta, GA
•Islamic Statements Against Terrorism in the Wake of the September 11 Mass Murders - compiled by Professor Charles Kurzman, University of North Carolina
•Muslim American Groups Denounce Terrorist Attacks - from the U.S. Department of State, September 12, 2001
•Kuala Lumpur Declaration on International Terrorism - unanimously adopted at the April 2002 conference of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (held by the 56 member nations/states of the Organization of Islamic Conference)

September 11 Terrorist Attack - Muslim Scholars Condemn September 11 Terrorist Attack

 

[Newby]

You are interpreting the lyrics I posted a bit differently than I do.

The mirror on my wall
Casts an image dark and small
But I'm not sure at all it's my reflection.
I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right
And I wander in the night without direction.

I see it as reflecting the confusion and uncertainty many of us go through at points in our lives - times when we are so so sure we are right and times when we feel in the dark without direction. Who are we and where are we going and what is real?

It's not meant as a negative comment.

I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right

That doesn't speak of confusion or uncertainty to me, only that you're confused and uncertain when you're putting your faith in God. So, yes, we interpret it very differently.

You can't take it by itself - away from the rest of the paragraph. There are times when we are so passionately right, so full of "truth" - so certain we can't be wrong (not necessarily just with religion) - and there are times when the fiery passion of righteousness dies down, we step back and we aren't so sure. We reflect.

I've always felt faith is not level path - it's full of up hills and down hills, and sometimes on the journey the sun is in our eyes blinding us to the path before us. It's message is so bright and compelling, we are unable to see anything else for a moment.

Different ways of viewing things

Oh, I completely understand what you're saying, and that's a personal failing that has nothing to do with God tho, so not sure why that would be a part of it as if it were a cause. People can abuse anything and rationalize anything, God has nothing to do with that.

 

[Coyote]

In what way exactly?

I'm looking at the anti-Islam commentary against the religion as a whole, endorsing narrow-minded views with out ever once considering that Islam has depths and nuances, much like Christianity. It's a viewpoint that paints all Muslims as extremists while hypocritically holding to a different standard for Christianity.

Yes, but you said 'followed by many', and a handful of people posting in a thread on a message board seems a little bit of a narrow scope for making a comment like that about the 'many' who are christians.

I'm referring to those who profess to be Christians on this messageboard only - I'm not talking about Christians overall. And you are right, the scope is narrow, it's just that that grouping of people seem to have the loudest voices and the capacity to stir others to similar points of view. And then I have to wonder - when do words become action?

And I think the point of the thread is that Christians are told all the time that they should be tolerant, caring, and accepting of other's feelings and lifestyles, yet that same expectation is apparently not visited equally to other religious groups.

In this case, it's specifically muslims that are not expected to be caring, tolerant, or accepting of other's feelings towards what their fellow mulsims did to 3,000 innocent people. Why do you think the expectations are different? And be honest, if it was a bunch of christian whackos that killed all of those people and the same group wanted to build a church within spitting distance of the site of where it happened, who's side do you think those defending the mosque would be on then? I would bet a million bucks without the blink of an eye that they'd be protesting the church and the insensitivity of the christians wanting to place it there.

And what do you base that on? Are you not applying your own narrow scope here based upon what you see in the internet and media - the loudest and most hateful voices? Do you then judge the entire faith on those voices?

You seem to be doing exactly what you condemn others for doing.

 

[Coyote]

I am blinded by the light
Of God and truth and right

That doesn't speak of confusion or uncertainty to me, only that you're confused and uncertain when you're putting your faith in God. So, yes, we interpret it very differently.

You can't take it by itself - away from the rest of the paragraph. There are times when we are so passionately right, so full of "truth" - so certain we can't be wrong (not necessarily just with religion) - and there are times when the fiery passion of righteousness dies down, we step back and we aren't so sure. We reflect.

I've always felt faith is not level path - it's full of up hills and down hills, and sometimes on the journey the sun is in our eyes blinding us to the path before us. It's message is so bright and compelling, we are unable to see anything else for a moment.

Different ways of viewing things

Oh, I completely understand what you're saying, and that's a personal failing that has nothing to do with God tho, so not sure why that would be a part of it as if it were a cause. People can abuse anything and rationalize anything, God has nothing to do with that.

No. I don't think you understand at all what I'm saying.

And, yes. They can, can't they?

 

[Coyote]

Yes, but you said 'followed by many', and a handful of people posting in a thread on a message board seems a little bit of a narrow scope for making a comment like that about the 'many' who are christians.

And I think the point of the thread is that Christians are told all the time that they should be tolerant, caring, and accepting of other's feelings and lifestyles, yet that same expectation is apparently not visited equally to other religious groups. In this case, it's specifically muslims that are not expected to be caring, tolerant, or accepting of other's feelings towards what their fellow mulsims did to 3,000 innocent people. Why do you think the expectations are different? And be honest, if it was a bunch of christian whackos that killed all of those people and the same group wanted to build a church within spitting distance of the site of where it happened, who's side do you think those defending the mosque would be on then? I would bet a million bucks without the blink of an eye that they'd be protesting the church and the insensitivity of the christians wanting to place it there.

You know......Christians regularly denounce some of the fringe idiots of their faith.

Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church is a good example.

I want to know why the Muslims in American haven't denounced their fringe whackos?

I guess it just does not sell in the american media.

You said it.

And how many times have you, and others posted those links in response to requests for proof and how many times are they subsequently ignored?

People will believe what they want to believe, and hate is a lot easier than understanding. After all, it requires no depth and no effort.

 

[Newby]

You can't take it by itself - away from the rest of the paragraph. There are times when we are so passionately right, so full of "truth" - so certain we can't be wrong (not necessarily just with religion) - and there are times when the fiery passion of righteousness dies down, we step back and we aren't so sure. We reflect.

I've always felt faith is not level path - it's full of up hills and down hills, and sometimes on the journey the sun is in our eyes blinding us to the path before us. It's message is so bright and compelling, we are unable to see anything else for a moment.

Different ways of viewing things

Oh, I completely understand what you're saying, and that's a personal failing that has nothing to do with God tho, so not sure why that would be a part of it as if it were a cause. People can abuse anything and rationalize anything, God has nothing to do with that.

No. I don't think you understand at all what I'm saying.

And, yes. They can, can't they?

Yes, I do understand. Your poem implicates God as a reason, I'm saying that people can use God as a reason, but that doesn't mean that God is a reason that people can be that way. People can use religion as a reason for their shortcomings of being blinded by righteousness, but it's their own failing and has nothing to do with religion. The Bible warns often of exactly what you are describing, being full of righteousness and truth. I think many people critically think about their faith and question it and seek the answers to those questions. Some may not and could be described as you said, but I think that most are not that way.